The Appenzeller dog is a herding dog by nature and therefore Appenzellers always require something to do. In a farm environment, they might nip at the sheep or cattle to herd them. Without sufficient exercise, they could become restless, so plenty of toys, space, exercise, and attention should be provided.

The Appenzeller dog is part of the Sennenhund family of dogs that include the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, the Bernese Mountain Dog, the Appenzeller and the Entlebucher Mountain Dog, all of which are similar in colour and temperament but vary in size. The Sennenhund dogs were originally used to assist in general farmwork but they are also used as mountain rescue dogs in some areas of the Swiss mountains today.

The Appenzeller is one of the smaller breeds in the Sennenhund group of dogs with mature males growing to around 60 cm tall. The Appenzeller had a beautiful tri-coloured coat and a stockier build in comparison to similar breeds like the Bernese mountain dog.

As with all large, very active working dogs, the Appenzeller breed should be well socialized early in life with other dogs and people and provided with regular activity and training if they are to be safely kept as a pet. According to the breed standard, the dogs are lively, high spirited, and suspicious of strangers.